Implement support for vehicles



E w. AUSTIN IMPLEMENT SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES Nov. 16, 1943.

i-"ild July 26, 1940 s Sheets *Sheetv 1- INVENTOR l/swar/h MEL/$51077 Patented Nov. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rfimwmmlfilfflfils to'La Plant-Choate Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at corporation of Delaware Application my 26, 1940, set-aim. 347,708 comma. (or. 37-'-144) My invention relates to an-implement support.. 1-;

particularly a structure designed to be initially incorporated with or subsequently applied to a vehicle, such as a tractor, for supporting an implement, for example a bulldozer, in operating position with respect to the tractor and under the control of the tractor operator. V

It is an object of my invention to provide a generally improved implement support.

Another object of my invention is to provide.

an implement support .which is capable of use either as a hydraulically actuated structure or as a cable-operated structure.

Another object of; my invention is an implement support-which is readily shipped to provideinstalled as a plurality of pre-assembled units with very little alteration of the tractor.

A further object of my invention is to provide an implement support of the hydraulically actuated type, in which the hydraulic mechanism is concentrated in one general location on the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide an implement support of the hydraulic type, in which the hydraulic flow paths are arranged for optimum operation.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which T I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tractor equipped with an implement support in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section dicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the support structure, the plane of which is indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, portions of the tractor being broken away to disclose the interiorthereof v Fig, 4 is an elevation of the arch-member; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of implement support, showing the cable adaptation.

In its preferred form, the implement support of my invention is designed to be applied to a vehicle having a frame, and itself includes an arch, member mounted on the frame and constituting a hydraulic tank. Pivotally mounted on the vehicle is a push member adapted to carry an implement and related to the arch member by interposed, hydraulically expansible chambers which are connected in a hydraulic circuit with the tank and are under the control of a suitable valve or like structure operated from a remote point by the vehicle operator.

frame I. The designation frame islntended to apply to the entire central body of the tractor,

including the operator's station 8, the engine 9 and any incidental structural members H, such as side rails. The term is intended to be sufficiently comprehensive as to include structures in which the propulsion instrumentalities are mounted on side rails or beams, as well as structures in which the propulsion elements are directly connected together without such rails or beams.

since this factor is immaterial with respect to my invention. The main frame I is supported from a pair of ground-engaging track members It each of which pivots with respect to the main frame about a rear transverse axis I3 and each of which includes frame rails M. on each of the rails I! there is mounted a fitting l6 including a projecting mounting pin ll of a generally cylindrical nature provided with a terminal flange l8 about which is removably clasped a pivot block l9 secured by a removablepin H. The block [9 is extended by structural shapes .22 included in a generally U-shaped push member 23 which likewise includes an implement flat its forward end. The implement 24 in the present instance is a' bulldozer having a cutting blade 26 and a mold board 21 included between the side plates 28, and is adapted to be raised and lowered with respect to the ground line 29 by oscillatory movements of the push member 23 acting about the axis- 3| of the pivot pin l'l. Inpractice. it is feasible to locate the axis 3l-at anoint spaced from but parallel to the axis l3, although difierential rising and falling of the tracks l2 introduces some forces tending to absorb looseness or play and possibly imparting some twist to the push member 23. This is usually immaterial but if of importance the axes v3| and. l 3- can be made to.

coincide by mounting the member I6 so that the pinl1 and the axis I3 are concentric.

In accordance with my invention, I provide means for operatingthe push member 23, and

thisis preferably a hydraulic means. On each of the sides of the main frame I I supply and mount brackets 4| which are permanently fixed and which receive pivot pins 42 passing through The structure is adapted for mounting upon thelower ends of the depending legs 43 and 44 of an arch member 48. The arch-member is an inverted U and straddles the structure of the tractor, preferably in an approximately vertical plane around and above the engine radiator. The

position of the arch member i slightly adjustable and is maintained after adjustment in predetermined position by struts 4? each of which 'is provided with a pin 48 at its forward and upper end piercing anv integral car 69 on th arch member, and is also provided with a pin 5i which connects the lower and rearmost end of the strut with a bracket 53 secured to the main frame ll.

The arch member 38 is preferably constituted of plates and shapes to define a tank having a hollow interior 5 3' which is finished so as to be oil-tight, so that the arch member serves as a extension 56 in which a pivot pin 51 i removably mounted, for pivotally fixing in location the upper "end of a hydraulic cylinder 58. A similar cylinder 59- is disposed on the opposite side of the structure, but its mounting and appurtenances are identical and hence are not described in detail. Projecting from the cylinder 58 is a piston rod 6i having afllxed thereon a piston (not shown), so that the structure provides a doubleacting hydraulically expansible chamber. The lower end of the piston rod 6! is provided with a yoke 62 connected by a pivot pin 83 to an ear 64 upstanding from the push frame 23.

. To provide a driving force for expanding and contracting the chambers 58 and 59 under the control of the vehicle operator, I dispose at the forward end of the engine 9 an extension 66 serving as the mounting for a positive displacement type liquid pump 61 connected to the crank shaft (not shown) of the engin and continuously driven thereby. The location of the pump 61 is preferably adjacent the lower end of, and

as nearly as possible coplanar with, the reservoir tank 48, and the pump consequently occupies substantially the lowest point in the hydraulic system. Communication between the tank 46 and the pump 61 is established through a pair of outlet pipes 68 and 69, respectively, each of which Joins one of the legs 43 and 44 and connects through one of a pair of flexible hoses H and 12 with an inlet T 13 to the inlet port 14 of the pump. Since the pump i at substantially the lowest point in the system and immediately below the storage tank, the full hydraulic head of liquid is effective upon the pump intake, so that no di-fllculty is had with priming and so that entrapped air is entirely free to separate by gravity and to ascend through th legs 43 and 44 of the hydraulic tank to the upper portion thereof from which the air can escape through a filler and breather cap 16 removably mounted on a filler spout I1 connected with the top of the tank 45.

Oil which enters the pump 8'! is discharged under pressure from an outlet port 18 and flows through a flexible connector 19 and a pressure pipe 8| extending along the leg 44, to a contrailer 82 or cdntrol valve mounted on the rear of the arch member 46. It is usual practice to mount the controller in very close relationship to the operators station 8, but I depart from that practice and dispose the controller in immediate juxtaposition with the remainder of the hydraulic circuit, so that piping i kept .to a relatively small amount and so that air which may be entrapped in the fluid is free to separate gravitally and eventually escape through the breather ture desires to utilize cable operation instead cap 16. The controller 82 is substantially a standard valve having a rotatable stem 83 movable into a plurality of positions under the control of the vehicle operator, by means of an extension rod 84 connected at opposite ends by universal joints 86 and 81, not only with the stem 83 but also with an operating handle 88 disposed close to the station 8 and supported by a bracket 88.

Fluid which enters the valve through the pressure pipe M can be by-passed through a return hose 9i and a, return pipe 92 to the filler spout ll so that the liquid mixes with the remaining oil in the interior of the tank 54. As one alternative, the oil may be discharged from the valve 82 through a. lifting pipe 93 which divides into branches 94 and 96 which are connected through flexible connections 91 to the lower end of the respective hydraulic cylinders 68 and 69, so that the effect of the fluid pressure is to lift the push member 23 with respect to the arch member. Usually, simultaneously connected, but in an opposite pressure sense, is a lowering pipe 98 branched and connected through flexible connections 99 to ducts I Ill and H12 connected to the upper end of the cylinders 68 and 69, respectively, so that when pressure fluid is supplied through the lifting pipe 93, low pressure liquid is returned to the tank through the lowering pipe 98. As another alternative, the pressure connections are reversed, and then the effect of the operation is to lower the push member with respect to the arch member. Depending upon the construction of the valve controller 82 in accordance with usual practice, the push member can be maintained in any desired position, can be positively raised and lowered, or can be left free to float or tilt.

The installation of the described structureis relatively simple since the entire arch member, expansible cylinders and controller are mounted together and can be factory assembled and shipped as a unit, and all that the installer must do is to secure the various brackets II and 52 in'place, usually by bolts through holes provided by the tractor manufacturer, and similarly install the push member by comparably installing the brackets Hi. When such installation is effected, the hydraulic structure is located in a compact area, and the hydraulic lines are not necessarily bled to relieve them of air since this bleeding occurs by gravity. Also, the forces transmitted between the push member and the arch member are substantially direct and free from twist components. The added structure does not clutter the space near the operator's station 8, and the operator's vision with respect to forward movement is not materially impaired.

In some instances, the operator of the strucof hydraulic operation, sometimes interchangeably therewith, and for that reason, as shown in Fig. 5, I preferably provide on the implement- 24 a plurality of sheaves III which can be supplied more or less completely, even with the hydraulic structure, and I likewise provide on the forward face of the arch member 46 a mounting block H2 to which sheaves H3 are adapted to be secured, these latter also .being supplied more or less completely along with the hydraulic structure. For cable operation, therefore, it is necessary only temporarily to disable the hydraulic structure and to thread an appropriate cable 4 through the sheaves HI and H3 and assaem 1. An implement support for a vehicle having a ber, and means for connecting said chambers v in a hydraulic circuit including said t.

2. An implement support for a vehicle having frame side portions and an upstanding central portion therebetween comprising a hydraulic tank structure disposed above and extending across said central portion, a control valve mountedon said tank and communicating therewith, legs secured to said side portions and included in said tank structure, a push member movably mounted upon said vehicle, hydraulically expansible chambers connected to said tank structure and to said push member for moving said push member and located lower than said valve, and hydraulic interconnections between said chambers and said valve.

3. In a vehicle provided with-a frame havin a central upwardly extending portion: an arcuate tank straddling said upwardly extending portion and secured to said frame; an implement actuator movably mounted on said frame; hydraulic means operatively disposed between said arcuate tank and said actuator for imparting movement to said actuator and a hydraulic circuit including said tank for actuating said hydraulic means. i

4. In a vehicle provided with a frame having a central upwardly extending portion: an arcuate tank secured to said frame and straddling said upwardly extending portion; a push member pivoted to said frame and extending forwardly thereof; hydraulic means operatively disposed between said arcuate tank and said push member for elevating and lowering the forward 'end of said push member and a hydraulic circuit including said arcuate tank for actuating said hydraulic means.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein a portion of said hydraulic circuit establishes communication between the intake of said hydraulic means and one of the lower parts of said arcuate tank.

6. In a vehicle provided with a frame having a central upwardly extending portion: an arcuate tank straddling said upwardly extending portion and secured to said frame; a, push member pivoted to said frame with its free end extending forwardly thereof; a hydraulic expansible chamber operatively disposed between said push member and said arcuate tank for elevating and lowering the forwardly extending end of said push member; and a hydraulic circuit including said arcuate tankfor actuating said hydraulically expansible chamber.

nuswon'm w. AUSTIN. 

